Movable contact base



May 20, 1952 A. B. ODAY ETAL MOVABLE CONTACT BASE I 2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed Nov. 5, 1947 lnven bors Av lrhur' B. Oda

ATtHLLT C. Bavv,

Theh- Ab borne9 A. B. ODAY ET AL MOVABLE CONTACT BASE May 20, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed NOV. 5, 1947 ITWVfi'lTOTSZ Av trhur' B. Oda Arthur C. Bar

by 0M M Their Arbtovneg.

Patented May 20, 1952 MOVABLE CONTACT BASE ArthvinB. Od'ay; Cleveland Heights. and Arthur 0. Hart; Shaker Heights-Ohio; assi'gi'ibrs to General Electric com any; a corporation of New York Application November 5, 1947;.ser a1fNo. 784121;-

1 The present invention relates to tubular elec triplamps? such as'flu'orescent' discharge lamps and particularly to such lamps of substantially closed'c'onflguration. Fluorescent lampsarenow commercially available in which the tubular envel'ope is bent in the form of a circle with its ends adjacent and directed toward each other. The base for such lamps extends between and engages the ends of the lamp to complete the circle. Contact pins for engaging a socket for the 'lamp pr'o'ject' from theinner side of the'base. Lamps equipped with such bases" are disclosed and claimed in the U. S. Patent No. 2339166, issued January 11, 1944, to Harrison.

An object of the present invention is to provide a lamp of this" type in which the contacts are movable around the base so that the pins maybe inserted in sockets disposed at various angles to themounting plane of the lamp. Anoth'erobtheafccompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a tilted or perspective View of a circular lamp showing a base embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an exploded View of the base showing in perspective the various" parts thereof; Fig. 3 is an elevational view showing the lamp ends ini'full' and the base thereon partly in section; Fig. 4 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 showing another species of my invention; Fig. 5 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 showing in" perspective the second embodiment of the base; Fig. 6 is an elevational view of the lampends and the base thereon turned about 180 from its position in Fig. 4 and with a portion of the base removed to show the" inner structure, and Fig. 7' is a transverse sectional view along the linel-l of Fig. 6 and inthe direction of the arrows.

The lamp shown in Fig. 1 is a fluorescent lamp of the positive column discharge type disclosed and claimed in the U. S. Patent No. 2,182,732, issued December 5, 1939 to Meyer et all The tubularg'lass envelope I of the lamp is bent to a circular outline with the closed ends} and 3 or the lamp envelopespaced apart a short distance and directed toward one another. The ends of thelamp envelopehave thereon metal end discs 4 and 5' (Fig. 3) constituting the ends of the lamp and presenting on their outer sides apertured bosses 6- and 1 circumferentiall'y constricted ad acent? the disc proper as' disclosedand ary 8', 11947 toGreiner. These discsl and 5 l'provi'de a gripping surface useful impending the tubular lamp to thecircularconflguration shown. A p'a'ifof insulated flexible current -leadi'n'g in wires 8 and 9' constituting electric terminals-extend from'each end of the lamp envelope and through the discs 4 and-5 for-connection with the'base' 'l0. Theba'seas'showir in'Figs; r and 3, overlaps and engages the discs '4' and Sand-en'- closes the space between'the ends 2 and 3 crime envelope to complete-the circle. Preferably the diameter of the base H) is" the same as that-of the'en'velope- I to give the lampa smooth circu l'ar contour. The base Ill is of electrically insulating material; is generally cylindrical in shape and ismade up of a contact'bearing sleeve-madeintwo longitudinal sections H and I2" and mounted on a tubular shell l3 having open ends shaped-to receivethe ends 2 and -3 of the lamp; The sleeve fit's' into awide annular groove 14 at themid portion of the shell- !3 (Fig. 2) and ismova-me in the groove so that the contact pins f5 on the sleeve may bemoved around the longitudinal axis of thebase m into variousangular positions" with respect to the mounting planeof the lamp. This affords greater flexibility to thelighting fixture designerin locating the socket for the 'base ill with respect to the mounting plane of the lamp in fixtures;

The sleeve sections] I and I 2 are held together around the shell 13' by a. ring shaped spring F6 mounted in an annular groove IT in the sleeve sections H and I2. A rabbet joint is provided between the longitudinal edges H! and I9 ofse'ctions' II' and 1-2, respectively, to prevent'rela'tive lateral displacements thereof. Relative longitudinal displacements of' the sleeve sections H and l2 are prevented by the sides of the groove Win the shell l3". The contact bearin'g' sectio'n I of the sleeve has a flat wall portion 2!} forming a recess in its outer surface'anda protuberance on its inner suriace. The four projeeting hollow -contac t pins i5 are fixed in the flat wall portion 20' (Fig. 3-). Thejre'ces's is adapted/0o receive a socket for the pins [5 and the protuberance limits the rotary motion of the sleeve around the shell as explained below.

The shell i3 is also split longitudinallyinto two section 2-! and 2-2 (shown spaced apart in Fig. 2) so that it may be mounted about the adjacent; ends 2 and 3" of the lamp; show-n in- Figs. 1 and 3 the ends of the shell I nd the lamp ends 2 and 3 are-m plane's whi'c converge toward theeen-ter' of the lamp; ends .l on the sleeve (Fig. 3).

of the shell are recessed and reentrant (Figs. 2 and 3) to receive the discs 4 and 5 on the ends 2 and 3 of the envelope and provide shoulders 23 which engage and butt against the said discs. The disc 4 has a metal projection 24 welded thereto which engages the sides of a cavity in the shell section 2i to hold the base In against rotation on the lamp ends 2 and 3. The shell 13 is hollow to receive in its interior the current inlead wires 8 and 9 extending from the ends 2 and 3, respectively, of the lamp and constituting the lamp terminals.

The mid-portion of the shell I3 is in the form of a tube 26 having a smallerdiameter than the end portions 2| and 22 so as to provide a wide circumferential groove M for receiving the sleeve l l and I2. A longitudinal portion of the tubular part 26 is cut out to provide an opening in the bottom of the groove 14 so that the inlead wires 8 and 9 may be connected to the contact pins The remainder of the tubular part 26 is in two sections connecting the end portion of shell sections 2| and 22; The inner surface of fiat wall part 20 of the sleeve section I l limits the movement of the sleeve about the shell l3 by engaging the longitudinal edges 21 of the opening in the side of the tubular part 26 of the shell l3. The said edges 21 each have two notches 28 therein to receive the inlead wires 8 and 9 when the fiat wall portion 20 engages 'either edge 21 to stop the sleeve. Usually the edges 21 of the shell sections 2| and 22 are spaced apart an angular. distance suflicient to allow the pins l5 to be moved in an arcuate path around the shell 13 an angular distance of approximately 90 though larger or smaller angular movements of the pins may be obtained by changing the spacing of the edges 27. The base I D is mounted on the lamp ends 2 and 3 in such manner that the pins l5 may point in either a horizontal or a vertical direction when the lamp envelope I is in either a vertical or a horizontal plane so that the socket for the pins l5 may be mounted vertically or horizontally or in any position therebetween on a lamp fixture.

The sections 2| and 22 of the shell [3 are held together by the spring ring l6 on the sleeve sections H and I2 which clamps both the sleeve sections and the shell sections together. The ends 29 of the spring [6 are turned inwardly (Fig. 2) to engage the walls of cavities (not shown) in the sleeve section II bearing the contacts 15. Relative longitudinal displacements of the shell sections 2| and 22 are prevented by the sleeve II and 12 mounted in the groove 14.

The base 29 shown in'Figs. 4 to '7 is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 3 in that it is made up of a tubular shell split longitudinally into two sections 30 and 3| and a contact carrying member 32 movable on and around the shell. In this embodiment, however, the contact carrying member 32 is in the form of a saddle which slides in grooves in one section 30 only of the shell. The

shell sections 30 and 3| are held together around ,the discs 4 and 5 on the lamp ends by a bolt 33 (Fig. 7) havingits head 34 recessed in the shell section 3| and its screw-threaded end 35 turned into a screw threaded hole in the other shell section 30. The recessed ends of the shell 39 and 3| and the protruding lug 24 on the disc 4 are of the same construction as in the embodiment of Figs. 1 to 3. The shell section 30 having the cavity 25 for receiving the lug 24 has a wide circumferential groove 36 in its center portion for receiving the saddle 32 and two smaller grooves 31 and 38 in the side walls 39 and 40 of the wide groove 36 in which protruding arcuate ridges or tongues 4| and 42 on the sides of the saddle 32 slide when moving the contacts [5 around the base 29. The movement of the saddle 32 around the base 29 is limited by the longitudinal walls 43 and 44 of the shell section 3|.

The four contact pins I5 are fixed in the saddle 32 with the ends of the pins exposed through slots 45 and 46 in the bottom wall of the wide groove 35 in the shell section 30. The leadin in wires 8 and 9 are extended through the slots 45 and 46 and are connected to the pins I5 in the usual manner. The outer surface of the saddle 32 has a flat portion 41 and upstanding edges 49 and 49 to receive a socket plug for the base.

In both the base structures described above the ease with which the contacts l5 may be rotated around the base is determined solely by the dimensions of the base parts which engage each other and is independent of the spacing of the ends of the lamp and of the relative angular position of the lamp ends which is diillcult to control in bending the tubular envelopes. The fact that the spacing of the lamp ends is not critical and that its ends need not be parallel to each other makes the shaping of the lamp easier and reduces the cost of bending. The dimensions of the base parts are easily controlled to close tolerances and may be selected to provide a fit of desired tightness between the relatively movable base parts to give the joint therebetween the stiffness desired.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 6 the interior of both bases provides adequate space free from obstructions for the flexible wires 8 and 9 connected to the base contact pins I5. The wires may thus flex freely when the pins l5 are moved without rubbing against obstructions which would cause the Wires to break. Obviously the wires 8 and 9 may be electrically connected indirectly with the pins l5 by attaching them to stationary ring or button contacts on the base and arranging the pins to engage the stationary contacts in their various positions to avoid flexing of the wires.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

L A mechanical base for a lamp having an elongated envelope bent to a substantially closed configuration with its ends directed toward each other and electric terminals extending from its ends, comprising a tubular shell having recessed ends shaped to receive and butt against the lamp ends to hold said base between said lamp ends, said shell also having means integral therewith and engageable with cooperating means on said lamp to hold said shell against rotation on said lamp ends and having a circumferential groove in its side with an opening into its interior in the bottom of the groove and comprising also a contact carrying member slidable in the groove with its contacts exposed through the side opening in the shell and electrically connected to th lamp terminals.

2. A mechanical base for a lamp having an elongated envelope bent to a substantially closed configuration with its ends directed toward each other and electric terminals extending from its ends, comprising a tubular shell having recessed ends shaped to receive and butt against the lamp ends to hold said base between said lamp ends said shell also having means integral therewith and engageable with cooperating means on said lamp to hold said shell against rotation on said lamp ends and having a circumferential groove in its side with an opening into its interior in the bottom of the groove and comprising also a contact carrying sleeve split longitudinally and held together in the groove by a clamping ring so as to be slidable around the shell with its contacts exposed through the side opening in the shell and electrically connected to the lamp terminals.

3. A mechanical base for a lamp having an elongated envelope bent to a substantially closed configuration with its ends directed toward each other and electric terminals extending from its ends, comprising a tubular shell having recessed ends shaped to receive and butt against the lamp ends to hold said base between said lamp ends, said shell also having means integral therewith and engageable with cooperating means on said lamp to hold said shell against rotation on said lamp ends and having a circumferential groove in its side with an opening into its interior in the bottom of the groove and comprising also a contact carrying saddle slidable in the groove with its contacts exposed through the side opening in the shell and electrically connected to the lamp terminals.

4. A mechanical base for a lamp having an elongated envelope bent to a substantially closed configuration with its ends directed toward each other and electric terminals extending from its ends, comprising a tubular shell having recessed ends shaped to receive and butt against the lamp ends to hold said base between said lamp ends, having integral means engageable with cooperating means on said lamp to hold said shell against rotation on said lamp ends and having a circumferential groove in its side with an opening into its interior in the bottom of the groove and comprising also a contact carrying sleeve split longitudinally and held together in the groove by a clamping ring so as to be slidable around the shell, said sleeve having a flat wall part extending into the side opening of the shell to limit the movement of said sleeve around said shell and through which its contacts extend for electrical connection to the lamp terminals.

5. A mechanical base for a lamp having an elongated envelope bent to a substantially closed configuration with its ends directed toward each other and electric terminals extending from its ends, comprising a tubular shell having recessed ends shaped to receive and butt against the lamp ends to hold said base between said lamp ends, having integral means engageable with cooperating means on said lamp to hold said shell against rotation on said lamp ends, having a circumferential groove in its side with an opening into its interior in the bottom of the groove and having opposed grooves in the sides of the circumferential groove and comprising also a contact carrying saddle provided with sidewardly extending tongue engaging the opposed grooves in said shell so that said saddle is slidable in the circumferential groove with its contacts extending through the side opening in the shell for electrical connections to the lamp terminals.

ARTHUR B. ODAY. ARTHUR C. BARR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

v UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,392,785 Thomas Jan. 8, 1946 

